Hemorrhoids Info and Treatment

Hemorrhoids are varicose veins found under the skin of the anus or on the rectal wall. They look like those veins found on the legs but most of the time they can only be felt. Hemorrhoids are classified into either external or internal hemorrhoids.

Internal hemorrhoids, as the name implies, are found inside the anal wall. Though in some instances, they may stick out (prolapsed hemorrhoids). This may be caused by a traumatic childbirth, a very heavy pregnancy, obesity, chronic constipation, diarrhea or anal intercourse.

External hemorrhoids are the more frequent ones. They are located outside the anus. They may entail painful bleeding, irritation and swelling. In the most common cases, they are caused by a blood clot; this is called thrombosed hemorrhoids and is one of the worse cases of its kind.

Thrombosed hemorrhoids are very tender. They are also very painful and walking, sitting or passage of stool can be an excruciating experience. This should be reported at once to a doctor because its treatment should be immediate.

Treatments for thrombosed hemorrhoids and other external types are different from those for internal hemorrhoids. The most common procedure for this is to wait for the blood clots to be absorbed back to the body. This normally happens after several weeks. Waiting for this to happen can be sped up through hot baths, ointments or creams.

However, the recommended treatment for thrombosed hemorrhoids is surgery.

Hemorrhoidectomy is best performed during the first 72 hours after the symptoms are felt. This will help you avoid the pain and bleeding that it may cause. In this, the doctor removes the blood clot by squeezing it out of an incision. Undesirably, this frequently sets off bouts of pain and sometimes, this may also cause the reformation of the clot.

To ensure that the clot will not return, a full hemorrhoidectomy, wherein the blood vessels are also removed, can be done. This procedure takes longer to perform and may require stitches to close the
wound.

After surgery, there may still be pain and bleeding. However, they can be assuaged by taking hot baths for 20 to 30 minutes every day. To avoid aggravating the pain, soft bowel movements should be observed after the surgery. This can be achieved by drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day or by taking over the counter stool softeners for the first two weeks of the procedure. Strained passage of stool should also be avoided at all costs.

Patients should also restrain from prolonged sitting or standing position. Most importantly, keep the rectal area clean and consult immediately with your doctor if something irregular is felt.  After completion of treatment, follow up regularly with your doctor.